Switch mechanism.



PATBNTED APR. 30, 1907.

T. RUNDORPP. SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 23.1906.

Wit" case: M

THEODORE RUN DORFF,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF BURLINGTON, IOWA.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE RUNDORFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Mechanismand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switches and mechanismfor operating the same.

The invention comprises the production of a housing, a base platesecured to said housing, a pivotally mounted member secured to said baseplate and having arms projecting therefrom and a reciprocating membersecured to said pivotally mounted member and adapted to operate theswitch tongue of a switch.

The invention further comprises the production of a switch mechanismthat is adapted to be operated to throw the tongue of a switch and meansfor operating said mechanism, comprising a lever or shoe adapted toengage said operating mechanism, a system of levers for operating saidshoe, a foot engaging member for operating said levers for brin ing intooperation said shoe, and a braciet firmly secured to the truck of a carfor holding such operating mechanism in operative position.

The object in view is the production of a switch mechanism that isformed with a base plate, a housing therefor, a bar pivotally mountedupon said base plate and adapted to be operated upon by mechanismprojecting from a moving car, and a reciprocating rod for connectingsaid mechanism to the tongue of a switch.

Another object in view is the production of a switch mechanism that maybe operated upon from a moving car for throwing the switch in eitherdirection at the will of the operator.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will bemore fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a side elevation or a part of a carshowing my improved switch throwing means secured thereto. Fig. 2represents a top plan view Specification of Letters Patent. Applicationfiled August 23, 1906. Serial No. 331,810.

Patented April 30, 1907.

of my improved switch mechanism, certain 1 parts being broken away tobetter disclose the construction thereof. plan view of a switchembodying the features of my invention showing how the operating meansoperates in slots provided therefor. Fig. 4 is a detailed fragmentaryperspective view of a base plate and pivotally mounted member, togetherwith a housing for the same, disclosing part of my invention.

In the production of switches and mechanism for operating the same, ithas been found desirable to produce a mechanism that will easily andquickly throw a switch simply by operating suitable levers upon a movingtrain. It is to this class of devices that the present inventionrelates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a car of anydesired construction, and 2 the truck therefor. Secured to the truck 2is a bracket 3 of any desired construction and having preferably a brace4 for more firmly holding the same in place. Pivotally mounted upon thetruck 2 at 5 is a lever or shoe 6 that is adapted to operate the switchmechanism more fully hereinafter described. Rigidly secured to or formedintegral with the shoe 6 is a bracket or arm 7, which has pivotallysecured thereto a link, as 8. Pivotally secured to the bracket 3 at 9 isa bell crank lever 10, which has pivotally secured to one end thereofthe link 8, and is engaged at the other end thereof by a footlover ormember 11, which is adapted to reciprocate in'the bottom of the car.

As will be clearly seen from Fig. 1, when the operator depresses themember 11, the same will operate the bell crank lever 10, which in turn,acting through the lever S, will 0 aerate the shoe 6 so as to depressthe point of the operating port-ion 12, which is adapted to come incontact with one of the projections 13 formed integral with or securedto part of the switch operating mechanism hereinafter to be more "fullydescribed. hen the portion 12 is lowered so as to be brought intoposition for operating one of the members 13, the switch will be thrownas may be desired, after which the member 11 is released and the shoe 6will resume its normal position above the lower edge of the truck 2 byreason of the weighted member 1 1 secured thereto. If desirable, theweighted member 14 may be removed and a spring substituted therefor, allwithin the spirit of the present invention. In the drawing, only Fig. 3is a top cured to the switch tongue 15 is a rod or link 16, which inturn is pivotally secured to a movable member 17. The member 16 may besecured to the tongue 15 at any des1rable point, but I have found it ofadvantage to secure the same near the outer end or point of the tongue.The member 17 is adapted to pivot or swing upon the base plate 18,preferably formed integral with a housing 19. The housing 19 is firmlysecured between the rails of the track in any convenient way, and thenthe rod 16 is connected-to the tongue of the switch. The member 17 isprovided with. suitable projections 13 which are formed integraltherewith or secured thereto, and adapted to be operated upon by theportion 12 of the shoe 6. Mount ed upon the housing 19 is a suitablecover 20, which has formed therein curved apertures or slots 21, throughwhich the portions 13 1 3 project any suitable distance, preferably notless than one inch,and operate therein.

As will be clearly seen from the drawings, when the member 11 isdepressed, the shoe 6 will be forced to a vertical position and theportion 12 will come incontact with one'of the members 13 and will,consequently, slightly rotate the member 17 :and, consequentl y,reciprocate the rod 16, which in turn will operate theswitch tongue.By-selecting the proper mechanism upon the car, the switch tongue 15 maybe thrown either way through the operation of themember 16 and themember 1.7. At night, in case the operator is not able to see whether ornot the switch is properly set for the direction in which he desires totravel, all that is necessary for him todo is to depress the propermechanism to cause the car to travel in the desired direction, and theswitch tongue 15 will be thrown into the proper position, if not alreadyin that position. In this way the operator is'always positive that theswitch is in proper position for guiding his car in the directi ondesired.

What I claim is 1. A device of the character described, comprising atripping means secured to the truck of a car, a base plate positionedbetween the tracks of a railway, an inverted substantially U-shapedmember pivotally mounted upon said base plate, and a rod looselyconnected to the said U-shaped member and serving to operate the tongueof a switch, the tripping means upon the car being adapted to engagewith the arms of the before mentioned U-shaped member.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a tripping meanssecured to the truck of a car, a housing positioned between the tracksof a railway, a base plate secured within. said housing, an invertedsubstantially U-shaped mem-ber'pivotally mounted on said base plate anda rod pivotally secured to said U-shaped member'for operating the tongueof a switch.

3. A device of the character described,

comprising a bracket rigidly secured to the tioned upon the truck of acar and adapted to be operated from the platform thereof, a mechanismfor throwing the tongue of a switch comprising a reciprocating rod, aswinging member secured to'said rod, a base plate for supporting saidpivotally'mounted member and a housing for inclosing said members.

5. A device of the character described,

comprising a bracket secured to the frame of a car, a trlpplng memberpivotally connected to said frameand normally held in an inoperativeposition, a bell-cranklever, connecting means between one arm of'thebellcrank lever and the tripping member, means for operating thebell-crank lever to throw the tripping member into operative position,and a mechanismfor throwing the tongue of a switch comprising areciprocating rod, a swinging member secured tosaid rod, and a baseplate for supporting said swinging member.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE RUNDORFF.

Nitnesses M. P. SHAITS, FRED J. 'HERMAEN.

